


The Evil Beneath

by TheOneWhoWanders



Series: The Tales of Vox Machina as told by Loraella Chimes [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2015-11-13
Packaged: 2018-05-01 10:24:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5202335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOneWhoWanders/pseuds/TheOneWhoWanders
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of how the mighty Vox Machina saved us all from an evil that was brewing underground.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Evil Beneath

**Author's Note:**

> By Loraella Chimes

_Gather ‘round and hear a tale._

_A tale the dwarves told me._

_About an evil that brewed underground_

_And made both ogres and goblins flee._

_There was a time, the dwarves do tell,_

_When their mines were under siege._

_But not from forces known to man,_

_Or any that you would believe._

_The things that came up from below_

_Were unnatural sights, it’s true._

_Their parts seemed stitched from different beasts,_

_Or held together by glue._

_The dwarves they fought these nasty beasts_

_The best that they knew how._

_But they couldn’t stop the steady flow_

_Of evil that was spilling out._

_Then one day some strangers came,_

_A rag-tag motley crew._

_On hearing of the dwarves distress_

_They knew just what to do._

_Into the mines our heroes began_

_Without a second thought._

_Going past where any dwarves had dared_

_They ventured forth and sought_

_The source of such unnatural beasts_

_That no man had ever spied._

_If any but them had taken this quest_

_They would have surely died._

_Now from here on in the story I tell_

_Comes straight from the mouths of those_

_Heroes that we all should thank_

_For saving our families and homes._

_For underneath the Greyspine Mines,_

_Where many a creature does prowl,_

_It seems an alliance had been formed_

_Among two species most foul._

_The duergar who make their camps_

_Deep beneath the ground_

_Sought vengeance on those who lived above_

_And now an ally had they found._

_The illithids had joined their cause,_

_Or so the duergar believed._

_But who was actually calling the shots?_

_Neither could perceive._

_The illithid were once content_

_To rule the Underdark._

_But now wished to expand their influence_

_And saw the duergar’s hatred as a spark._

_A duergar camp was the first they saw_

_Of the evil doers plight._

_Hundreds of armoured warriors_

_Ready to start a fight._

_It was the Bard among our group,_

_I’m very proud to say,_

_Braved the camp all on his own_

_And stealthed in all the way._

_Under his spell of invisibility_

_Scanlan was able to spy_

_Illithids among their ranks_

_It made him wonder why._

_One thing was sure, this must end,_

_This alliance of the two_

_Races that dwell underground_

_Because of the evil deeds they do._

_Now at this point I must express_

_A truth known throughout the land._

_That even the best of friends can sometimes_

_Argue over what’s been planned._

_Because of this the group did split,_

_Keyleth and Vex took flight._

_And what they found beneath that camp_

_Did give them an awful fright._

_But the ladies were calm, they thought it through,_

_They kept a level head_

_And returned with something quite unexpected_

_An allied illithid._

_Deeper still into the ground_

_Our adventurers did go._

_To the fort that held the Dark King and Queen_

_Covered in a lava flow._

_Now the Druid parted the river of fire_

_By forming a wall of stone._

_They snuck in unseen through a secret door_

_But soon found that they weren’t alone._

_The Sorcerer he forged a plan_

_To get the army’s attention._

_He turned himself into a god and_

_Had them all looking in his direction._

_This plan it really was a sight_

_Most worthy of a rhyme._

_But it’s a tale unto itself_

_I’ll save for another time._

_The King was slain and it seemed_

_Our heroes would succeed._

_But the Queen charmed our Barbarian_

_And then with him, she fleed._

_With lava now pouring in_

_Our mighty adventurers ran._

_They escaped the fort with all their limbs,_

_Except for Vax’ildan._

_The Rogue he hell into a trench_

_Of burning lava flow._

_He’d helped his friends to safely cross_

_But sacrificed a toe._

_Although they left the dark dwarves fort_

_Without a cherished friend,_

_They’d rescued another from its dungeons,_

_A Halfling Paladin._

_She joined their crew and so they trekked_

_Deeper underground._

_Until up ahead they saw a sea_

_Of bone and glass across the ground._

_Our adventurers crossed this cavern_

_Not as any others would._

_They flew because the ground it seemed_

_Would not bring them any good._

_And they were right as from beneath_

_The piles of bone there stirred_

_Another of the unnatural beasts,_

_The look of which could disturb._

_They made short work of this patchwork fiend._

_They hit it with the lot._

_But it was the Human Gunslinger_

_Who made the lethal shot._

_Then up ahead they saw the light_

_Of a fire burning low_

_And keeping to the shadows_

_They crept in nice and slow._

_Their friend lay still, restrained and stunned_

_Across from where they stood_

_But to get to him they’d have to kill_

_The Queen. This time for good._

_It wasn’t just the Queen there_

_To greet our roving crew._

_A dwarf and elf stood at her side_

_Both of which the Paladin knew._

_They had been her guides, she did explain._

_Although now one thing was clear._

_Their minds weren’t their own, they had been enslaved_

_By another who must be near._

_In fact all of those they’d faced below,_

_Our heroes began to discover,_

_Had eyes that were a livid green,_

_A most unnatural colour._

_The Queen was killed and Grog was saved_

_Thanks to some well placed fireballs._

_The gang we love, now reunited,_

_Continued down the darkened halls._

_For brevities sake I won’t tell you of all_

_The beasts they did subdue._

_But know there was a giant and a cloaker,_

_To name a few._

_Now our heroes are smart and so could tell_

_There was more behind this plot._

_That someone else was manipulating_

_The minds of all they’d stopped._

_The name K’Varn had been heard_

_By the illithid at their side,_

_But no one knew who this was,_

_Or where they may reside._

_A scrying spell was performed_

_By the Druid with the Clerics aid._

_It gave her visions of the evils den_

_And the end point of their crusade._

_K’Varn they found, dwelled deep within_

_The temple of the city_

_With hundreds of illithid surrounding him._

_This last battle seemed less than pretty._

_Not only that K’Varn himself_

_Was a monster all should fear._

_A beholder with makeshift armour_

_Dousing any magic that came near._

_The Elder Brain was also seen_

_In Keyleth’s scrying vision_

_And now releasing K’varn’s hold on it_

_Became a part of their mission._

_Once again our heroes flew_

_Above what lurked below._

_With so many dangers down beneath_

_It seemed the only way to go._

_A weight was dropped from high above_

_To crash the temples ceiling._

_This weight was actually a giant,_

_But that’s another story that will have you reeling._

_And here the final battle starts._

_I know you’ve all been waiting_

_To hear of how our heroes felled_

_An entity so scathing._

_Each played their part in the battle ahead._

_It was a sight to behold._

_Even the Halfling Paladin struck_

_With her divine weapons of gold._

_The first hit was struck with a bit of luck_

_From our favourite stealthy Rogue._

_His daggers flew through the air at speed_

_And kept the monster on his toes._

_The first to leap into the room was_

_The Goliath Barbarian._

_His strength and fortitude_

_Making him a true champion._

_Another feat of strength was shown by the Druid,_

_Though small and slight._

_She evoked the power of the earth_

_And harnessed all it’s might._

_Shots were fired, literally,_

_Causing an awful lot of damage._

_The Gunslingers accuracy giving_

_Everyone an advantage._

_K’Varns face was met with Bigby’s fist_

_On multiple occasions._

_The Bard’s cunning tactics giving the rest_

_Spurs of inspiration._

_The Cleric’s skills were put to use_

_Many times that day._

_Without her divine healing touch_

_Things would have ended another way._

_Thorns were hailed down on the fray_

_By the Ranger from on high._

_Her arrows flew at deadly speed and seemed to_

_Rain down from the sky._

_In fact it was an arrow_

_That caused K’varn to fall._

_But somehow he rose again._

_This isn’t over yet. No, not at all._

_We may never know what unholy deals_

_K’varn had made to stay._

_Alive when he was clearly dead_

_And should have stayed that way._

_But fear not, our saviours true_

_Were quick to finish the beast._

_They hacked away at his undead form._

_Their intensity increased._

_When finally a glacial blast_

_Finished off their foe._

_The Sorcerer formed a blade of ice_

_And dealt the final blow._

_For those of you who think my tale_

_Has come upon its end_

_I’ll remind you that they’re in the middle of a city._

_There was no time to mend._

_The illithid, now minds their own,_

_Converged upon our crew._

_The one who was their ally_

_Now turned upon them too._

_A quick escape was what they needed_

_There really was no way_

_For the nine of those remaining to_

_To stay and fight another day._

_Tiberius, he took off_

_To a beach and began to scrape_

_The sigil that would take them all_

_To Emon, to their escape._

_As the rest began to join him_

_There upon the sand_

_A portal opened up before them._

_An exit most grand._

_Now I stand here to tell this tale,_

_Every word of which is true,_

_Because of this group of adventurers_

_And everything they do._

_So when you return to your homes tonight_

_And spend time with those you love,_

_Remember who you have to thank_

_For stopping the evil from rising above._

_Kraghammer was saved that day,_

_But I am forever sure_

_That they’re the saviours of all of Tal’Dorei._

_The legend of Vox Machina will endure._

**Author's Note:**

> Loraella Chimes is a prolific bard known mostly for her tales about the legendary Vox Machina. She is known throughout Tal'Dorei as one of the most knowledgeable on the group (other than it's surviving members of course).


End file.
